The seven of them made their way out of the palace’s throne room once they all clearly heard Minhyuk’s question. As for the oldest prince in the group, Changsub simply let it pass since he was a man of few words and preferred showing rather than saying them aloud. They were not aware of the destination they were heading but seeing the high walls still standing around them, one could only assume the prince had no intention of leaving the grounds just yet.

It took everyone about five minutes of wandering and wondering before the prince halted his steps in front of an unfamiliar looking brick shed covered with leaves crawling on its sides. The wooden door was pushed without any delay and eyes met with one another, Sungjae shrugged when he read the older fellow’s puzzled look. The interior was not as green as the exterior but judging on the dusts collected in the area, they assumed no one had ever been there. Minus Prince Changsub that was. How did he know of the place in the first place?

Let’s just say there were a lot more in terms of floor plan that anyone lived in the Seonghwa’s palace needed to venture. Being someone who tended to stray out of his quarters, Changsub always find strangest nook and cranny where he claimed as his personal hideouts. It would change according to his preference. From a dusty attic in one of the palace’s tower down to the boiling room that connected with the main kitchen. He had been there plenty of times that it was hard to keep into proper account.

As they dived deeper where apparently flight of stairs came into view, the leftover six pair of eyes scanned from one side to another. While some felt wary of the new location, another bunch sensed unnecessary mystery. They continuously greeted by darkness which seemed to grow less visible as they went down. Stopping a couple of minutes here and there for air, there was also another reason to stop. They could barely see anything. Their hands immediately met with the walls to secure the grounds they had been stepping.

When the darkness prolonged a bit too long for a certain gate keeper, Minhyuk let out a sigh before glancing bluntly at a direction where Sungjae assumingly be. “Where are you taking us, Changsub? There’s barely anything to see.” He spoke frankly which followed by another voice, adding on his statement, “Yes, I agree with the silver headed one. Where are we eve-”

“We’re almost there.” Changsub easily answered and judging on his voice projection, he sounded metres away from them already. “Oh my goodness, isn’t that the smell of what I think it is?” A female’s voice vibrated through the silent air, cutting the males’ thoughts almost instantly since their noses finally picked up what she stated.

As someone who was born with water element, the two Haesang royals that volunteered to tag along with the journey beyond the border were namely Jung Ilhoon and Son Naeun, prince and princess respectively. It was acceptable to see one of the princes from Haesang willing wanted to follow along but when the other came into view, he fought for a while. It was not like there was anything wrong to have a female in the group. Nonetheless, he felt worried she would not be able to catch up with their…manly instincts he said. Yet there she was behind him, wanting to prove that she was born a daredevil.

The immense blackness soon disappeared, revealing a hint of their exact location after about half an hour of walking downwards from the wooden door at the brick shed. The oldest prince already held on a torch in his right hand before gesturing what he would start calling as friends to get closer. Passing them various shapes of long wood, Sungjae and Minhyuk good-naturedly lighted the Haesang’s torches with their elements.

Once the area was well-lid with their burning torches, Naeun gaped and pointed at a direction behind Ilhoon since he was facing her. Turning on his heels to see what she witnessed, his eyes turned wider and he was not alone. Everyone, except for Changsub of course, had the same expression as if it was default facial expression to have when they saw it. But he would not condemn them for being genuinely surprised because he too had the similar reaction. He lightly chuckled before looking back as well.

Plotted in front of them was a massive, authentic wooden sail ship. It was so huge in their eyes that they thought it was just a pigment of their imagination. The tiered sails were visually cream in colour highly supported with tall posts. Ropes were everywhere in sight yet when they arrived on the decks, they scattered to their own desired spots on the ship. There were also rooms with a couple of single ladder leading down.

Joining Changsub who stood at the forecastle, eyeing on the vines of leaves which acted like curtain for what it was discovered to be a cave, Minhyuk tried to search for whatever the younger one had his eyes on for the past few seconds. When he had no idea of the answer, he asked, “What are you looking at?” Slowly shifting his gaze to the male by his side, the prince softly answered, “Our future.”

Holding in a laugh from entirely escaping his lips, the dark silver headed one shook his head before glancing at the vines. The lights passing through were not much and he could not help but to notice one uncomfortable fact about the ship. It was massive for seven of them alright. However, how do they have to get the ship to be on water? The sea-level in the cave was inconveniently low to float any boat. When they stepped on the ground to reach the ship, the water barely made it to their ankles.

“Changsub, how do we get the ship to the sea?” They finally heard someone questioned the fact and the smart one was Sungjae. Since the two Seonghwa merely stared at him, he gestured at them with the lidded torch, causing them to move backwards consciously. “Hey, watch where you’re aiming with that thing.” Minhyuk told him.

“Anyway, his question is logical. How do we do that?”

“Let the Haesang do it.” Changsub mentioned, gaining the attention from the two Haesang royal straightaway. They were not far away from them to begin with so it took them only seconds to be at the same spot. The other two unnamed palace guards too noticed the sudden gathering so they found themselves forming the same circle back at the throne room. “You called for our expertise?” Ilhoon said in a disturbingly arrogant tone but the aura subsided fast once Naeun’s hand landed on his head with a light smack.

“If you’re really an expert, please do tell me how you’re one of the first few to fall during the joust? I swear Princess Jiyeon is way better than you as we speak.” The princess reminded him as her arms folded against her torso. He was rubbing the spot yet he still managed to reply in a whisper, “But she’s different…”

“Alright, your highnesses, as entertain it were to see you fight, please do your job and push the ship using your element.” Prince Changsub spoke, breaking the two easily with his signature one hand gesture to have their eyes back on him. “How come we don’t help them too?”

“You do realise this is a wooden ship, right Sungjae?” The older one mentioned, throwing a knowing glare at the fellow who immediately pursed his lips together after realising his help would only lead to a major disaster. “But how do we even do that?” One of the two palace guards voiced and the only princess among them merely flipped her hair before walking off the ship.

Out of the blue, there was a sound of splurging water coming from their back as they already turned their body to face Naeun who stood on the rocky ground with both of her hands held out. Mouthing an ‘o’ right after was Ilhoon, finally knowing of what to do and swiftly joined the female. With combined strength of three Haesang at long last, a body of seawater managed to be brought into the cave, not many but enough to have the ship float. Each footstep they made as they walked back to the ship was full of care and focus.

The Seonghwa swayed itself as they lost balanced at the uncalled movement coming from the sea beneath them. There was a soft scream heard from Prince Sungjae but fear not it was just because his torch dropped into the water from his hand as he held the side of the ship. The other prince and gate keeper already had smiles plastered on their faces before craning their heads towards what should be the exit of the cave.

“That’s so great looking!” The Crown Princess of Haesang chirped merrily and her hands clapped with a bright smile on. Jiyeon’s hand then held onto Jimin’s who was beside her all along, bobbing his head knowingly as form to agree on his princess’ sentence.

The sun was about to set over in the isle of Navillera when the voice owned by the Seonghwa’s village head called for the royals to check out his finding. Most of the villagers were already at the edge of the island to witness a history being made. A big ship was not something they would see on any ordinary day. They never had any traders arriving at their now non-functional docks too so to be able to see the great water transportation within their reach was exciting.

“Changsub!” Jimin called aloud as he waved his hand frantically at the older prince. If he was one of the villagers, someone would bluntly tell him to shut up or jolted in shock at the loud projection. The called one quickly returned the friendly gesture with a wide smile as the ship manoeuvred by Prince Ilhoon who had the same curve on his face.

“So when will you head out? Should we hold some sort of ceremony?” The Crown Prince questioned as the four of them which included the Crown Princess, Prince Changsub and Prince Sungjae walked through the palace ground to go back to their designated quarters. The Haesang royals were already informed of their departure and as for Minhyuk, he decided to head home to pay a visit to his family. “We’ll set off next morning after break of dawn. So I guess no ceremony is needed.”

“Oh wow, that fast? Are you sure everything has settled for you?” It was Jiyeon’s turn to do the asking by the time they reached at the palace cross junction. Leaving the three of them be, Changsub waved at Sungjae who distancing away from them as they continued. “I’ve been preparing all this in secrecy. I wouldn’t invite people to join along without any preparation, Princess Jiyeon. Besides, I have highest trust in the people I’m bringing. I might barely know of your acquaintances but Prince Ilhoon and Princess Naeun is very good at their element.” He explained calmly with unwavering expression. Something Jimin secretly admire from the older prince.

“Anyway, I have to leave. I still have a few final things to pack for the voyage.” He said and bowed before disappearing down the hallway, leading to his quarter. Turning his gaze from the back figure of the male, Jimin glanced at the female by his side. Suddenly, he remembered something, “Are you going to stay here for the night?”

“I will and same goes with the rest of my family, for the next couple of days too because apparently our parents have something to discuss about.” Jiyeon softly told him a piece of information which he had not been aware of. “Really? How come I don’t know about it? I thought everyone came here for the announcement only.” The princess shrugged.

“At least we have time to spend together. But first, let’s go get dinner. My stomach is grumbling.” Jimin sheepishly noted and as if on cue, there was a rumble which made Jiyeon smiled at the unexpected sound. “You’re not joking. Race you to the dining hall.” She shouted childishly and when she said race, he saw her sparkly azure blue dust lingered on air once she shifted into her radiant pair of wings.

“Navillera’s future Queen, everyone.” He gestured his arm over at where she once stood before shifting into his butterfly form, transferring the silky bright red hair onto his fluttering wings.